Customer Reviews

Any Road

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Randy Bachman, prairie legend, writer and co-writer of some of the finest music Canada has put on the map now for four-plus decades, came out with this excellent CD in the early 90s, years after leaving Bachman-Turner Overdrive and before the REAL Guess Who would reunite. This album is full of great surprises, including one tune written by his son and future star Tal Bachman (who's just released his second album, by the way). This stuff is easily up there with BTO's best including the single Prairie Town, done as a straight-out rocker with a guest appearance from Neil Young, and as a ballad with Cowboy Junkies singer Margo Timmins. The rest of it is meat-and-potatoes rock & rool like "Underworked and Overpaid", the title track, and many other tracks. Enjoyable from start to finish. While Randy may not have a voice like his partners Messrs. Cummings or Turner, it suits the material just fine. Bachman has the chops and the ability to turn out stuff that just feels right the first time you hear it...one listen to this CD and you'll know why he's been around as long as he has. This is convertible-top-down, pedal-to-the-metal, takin'-care-of-business (sorry, couldn't resist) Canadian rock and roll the way it should be from one of its true masters. Don't pass this one by!

Randy Bachman delivers a sound similar to BTO with a few more diverse songs, and the lyrics are a bit more personal, more introspective. The musicianship on this CD is first-rate, from the lead guitar to the backing vocals. Neil Young makes an appearance on "Prairie Town", and you even get two versions of this song - one rocks while the other is mellow. "Tailspin" will actually remind you of ZZ Top, and who among us can't relate to being "Overworked and Underpaid"? All in all, a very solid and worthwhile CD.

What a fantastic album from Randy Bachman this album rocks along at a fair old pace,much better than the Survivor album which was also great albeit a much more laid back piece of work.Dare I say sure you can pick up a bit of BTO and a little bit of ZZ Top but so what this is Randy Bachman doing what he does best writing and playing great music.All in all
a Terrific cd so glad I got for my collection.Buy it you will really enjoy.Nice one Mr Bachman.

Bought this because of "Prairie Town", which were it to have been released as a single at the height of BTO or Guess Who history might have been a monster hit. I tend to agree with the other reviewers on this CD- its a worthwhile one, but not great in my books.

I found the songwriting very solid- especially the first few songs. Its clear Randy Bachman's skill as a songwriter is a gift that has not lost any lustre. The guitar playing harkens back to BTO days and the Neil Young contribution on Prairie Town is exactly what you'd hope it would be. I Wanna Shelter You and Any Road are standout tracks as well. Overworked and Underpaid is kind of a Takin' Care of Business part 2 and would be an easy fit on old BTO classics.

My problem with this CD, and I can't be as generous as some of the other reviewers, is that Randy Bachman can't sing to save his life and that spoils the songwriting excellence. Its kind of like Burl Ives (you know the guy who sings on the Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Christmas Classic) trying to rock out. I'm really glad I bought this CD and have utmost respect for this guy as a musician and songwriter, but I can't help imagine how good some of these songs could have been with Burton Cummings singing them, or Myles Goodwyn, or Paul Rogers, or Fred Turner, or Bryan Adams, or Bill Henderson, or Brian Greenway... you get the point.